Fan-blower.



` PATENTED MAY 15, 1906.

E. X. MLLER.

FAN BLGWBR.

APPLIGATION FILED MAR.22, 1905.

'UNTTED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

FRANK X. MLLER, OF BUFFALO, NEVVKYORK, ASSIGNOR TO BUFFALO FORGE COMPANY, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

FAN-BLOWER.

Specification of Letters Patent.-

ratentea May 15, 190e.4

Application filed March 22, 1905. Serial No. 251,417.

To @ZZ whom it' Wray concern:

Be it known that l, FRANK X. MLLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fan-Blowers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to fan-blowers of that kind in which the rotary fan is driven at high speed by a crank or drive shaft connected to the fan-shaft by speed-multiplying gearing which is inclosed in and protected by a gear-casing.

The objects of the invention are to provide a fan-blower of this kind in which the arrangement of the parts is such as to afford a compact, strong, and desirable construction; to so construct and arrange the speed-gearing and its 'inclosing casing that a very smooth light-running machine can be manufactured at a minimum cost to so mount the speed-gearing in its casing that the latter is relieved of strain and can be made of thin light material, While a smooth light-running gearing is insured without the necessity of reaming any bearings in the casing.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a transverse sectional elevation of a fanblower embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation, partly in section thereof, the removable part of the gear-casing being detached to expose the speed-gearing. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the gear-casing and supporting-standard, the fan-casing being detached and the fan-shaft shown in section. Fig. 4 is an elevation of the speed-gearing in a casing of modified construction, the casing being shown in section.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

A represents the circular fan or blower casing, which is of the usual construction, having the air-inlet opening or eye a and the discharge or blast nozzle a and is preferably made of halves or parts removably connected by bolts or otherwise.

B represents a gear-casing which is preferably of substantially oval shape, of greater width than thickness, and is arranged parallel with and spaced from the fan-casingthat is, with one of the wide sides of the gear-casing facing, but separated from, one of the circular sides of the fan-casing. The gear-casing consists of a stationary back part or half.

Z) and a front cover part or half b, which is bolted or otherwise separably secured to the stationary part l), so that it can be removed or moved to open the gear-casing. The fan and gear casings A and B are rigidly connected or secured together in the stated relation, and both are supported by a standard or support C.

In the construction shown in Figs. l, 2, and 3 the gear-casing is made of sheet metal, and the stationary back thereof is secured, as hereinafter described, to one side of an upright bracket or extension c of the standard or support. This extension or bracket, which extends up between the gear-casing and fan-casing, has a cylindrical boss c projecting laterally therefrom, on which a hollow hub c2 of the fan-casing is adjustably secured by a set-screw. This manner of securing the fancasing enables the same to be turned on the boss c/ and secured with its blast-nozzle extending in any desired direction.

In the construction shown in Fig. 4 the stationary part of the gear-casing instead of being made of sheet metal or formed separately from the bracket or extension c of the standard is cast or made with a depending portion c3 for attachment to the standard or support, and the stationary part of the casing itself constitutes, in effect, an upright bracket or extension of the standard or support similar in function to the separatelyformed bracket C. (Shown in the other figures.) In this construction the supporting-boss c4 4 for the fan-casing is formed onthe stationary part of the gear-casing.

D represents the rotary fan, which is inclosed within the fan-casing and attached to a fan-shaft d, extending out of the fan-casing and through the supporting-boss for the latter into the gear-casing, where it is operatively connected to a crank or drive shaft E by intermediate speed-multiplying gearing.

The drive-shaft is arranged'parallel with fan-shaft, and preferably extends out of the gear-casing through a hole in the removable front or cover of the gearcasing, being provided at its outer end with an operating hand crank or device e. The drive-shaft is journaled at its inner end in a bearing f on a bearing-bracket F, which is fixed in the stationary part of the gear-casing.

ln the construction shown in Figs. 1 to '3v mediate shaft by a set-screw h.

eration of the parts.

the bearing-bracket is attached by bolts or the like f to the upright bracket or extension c of the standard or support. The bolts pass through the stationary back of the gear-casing, which is thus clamped securely between the supporting and bearing brackets. In the other construction shown in Fig. 4 the bearing-bracket is bolted directly to the stationary part of the gear-casing.

The fan-shaft d is journaled in a bearing j" 2 in the bearing-bracket and is operatively connected to the drive-shaft by a speed-multiplying gearing, preferably consisting of a gear-wheel g, keyed or fixed to the driveshaft and meshing with a gear-pinion g', which is attached to and rotates a spiral gearwheel g2, having oblique teeth and which in turn meshes with and drives a similar spiral gear-pinion g3, keyed or secured to the fanshaft. The intermediate gear-pinion g and wheel g2 preferably rotate freely together on a stationary stud-shaft g4, fixed in a hole in the bearing-bracket by a set-screw g5 or otherwise. The drive-shaft and intermediate shaft g4 are braced and steadied by a bridgepiece h, which has holes in which said shafts bear' and is secured to said stationary inter- The end thrust of the fan-shaft is taken by an adjustable end bearing-screw h2, which works in a threaded hole in a plate h3, secured by screws or otherwise to the bearing-bracket.

All of the wheels of speed-gearing are parallel, as are also all of the shafts, thus enabling a compact arrangement and construction of the several parts of the blower, and the described gearing, with the spiral wheel gz and the pinion g3, insures the smooth running and a high speed of the fan. The rotary shafts are journaled in and the speedgearing is entirely supported by the bearingbracket F, and it is not necessary -to provide bearings for any of these parts on the removable cover or part of the gear-casing. This isimportant, for when the shafts and gearing are supported by bearings on both parts of the gear-casing it is necessary to secure the parts of the casing together and ream the bearing-holes andv then separate the parts of the casing, mount the gearing therein, and again secure the casing parts together. It is found in practice that when the casing parts are secured together after the gearing has been put in place the bearings do not always properly aline, and considerable trouble and work are required to secure a smooth free. op-

When the bearings are all in the stationary bearing-bracket fixed in the stationary part of the gear-casing, as described, this difficulty is entirely obviated, and alight smooth-running machine can be produced with less labor and at a minimum cost. The construction shown in Figs. 1 to 3 also enables .the gear-casing to4 be made of thi-.n sheet metal, for the strain on the drive mechanism is carried by the bearing-bracket and supporting-bracket to which it is attached, and the gear-casing is entirely relieved of strain.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination of a fan, a fan-shaft, a drive-shaft, speed-gearing connecting said fan-shaft and drive-shaft, a gear-casing inclosing said speed-gearing comprising separable stationary and cover parts, and a bracket secured in the stationary part of said gear-casing and entirely supporting said speed-gearing, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of a fan-shaft, a fan .secured thereto, a drive-shaft parallel with said fan-shaft, speed-gears connecting said fan and -drive shafts and all arranged with their axes parallel with each other and with said fan and drive shafts, a gear-casing comprising separable stationary and movable parts inclosing said gears and having holes through which said fan and drive shafts project, and a bracket secured in thel stationary part of said gear-casing and entirely supporting said speed-gears, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of a supporting-standard, a gear-casing comprising sep arable parts, one of which is secured to said standard, a fan, a fan-shaft to which said fan is connected and which extends into said gear-casing, a drive-shaft, speed-gearing connecting said fan and drive shafts and inclosed within said gear-casing, and a bracket in said gear-casing which is secured to said standard and which supports said speed-gearing independently of said cover part, substantially as set forth.

4. rlhe combination of a su porting-standard, a fan-casing supported tluereby, a gearcasing comprising separable parts, one of which is secured to said standard, a fan in said fan-casing, a fan-shaft to which said fan is attached and which extends into said gearcasing, a drive-shaft, speed-gearing connecting said fan and drive shafts and inclosed within said gear-casing, and a bracket in said casing which is secured to said standard and which wholly supports said speed-gearing, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination of a supporting-standard, a gear-casing comprising a stationary part secured to said standard, and a part removably attached to said stationary art, a fan-casing arranged parallel with sai gearcasing and supported by said standard, a fan in said fan-casing, a fan-shaft connected to said fan and extending into said gear-casing, a drive-shaft, gearing inclosed in said earcasing and connecting said fan and rive shafts, and a bearing-bracket secured in the stationary part of said gear-casin and supportilng said gearing, substantia ly as set ort 6. The combination of an upright support,

a fan-casing arranged on one side of and at- IOO IIO

ISO

tached to said support, a gear-casing arranged parallel with said fan-casing on the opposite side of and secured to said support, a fan in said fan-casing, a fan-shaft extending into said gear-casing, a drive-shaft extending from said gear-casing, and speed-gearing inolosed in said gear-casing and connecting said fan and drive shafts, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination of an upright supporting-standard, a fan-casing supported by saidA standard, a gear-casing arranged beside said standard, a bearing-bracket in said gear-oasing and attached to said standard, one part of said .gear-easing being clamped between said standard and said bearing-bracket, a fan in said fan-casing, a fan-shaft therefor eX- tending into said gear-easing, a drive-shaft, and gearing supported by said bracket in said gear-casing and connecting said fan and gear shafts, substantially as set forth.

Witness my hand this 16th day of March, 1905.

FRANK X. MLLER.

Witnesses:

WM. L. Fox, EUGENE J. COLEMAN. 

